Free Risking It All by JM Stewart Page A

Yes, that was it all right. It had to be, because she would not go down
that
particular road with Kyle. Acknowledging this desire meant risking losing him, and she just couldn’t. She needed him, and as tempting as these thoughts were, she needed him to stay where he was. As her friend. It was as simple as that.

Chapter Three
    Cecelia sat at the small kitchen table an hour and a half later, chin in hand. The plate of food Kyle had set in front of her ten minutes before went untouched. She wasn’t hungry. She’d stayed this morning because she wanted to talk to him. She was going to find those answers to her past or die trying, and Kyle reminded her too much of Gran—always putting her off but never really telling her why. This time, she at least wanted to know why.
    But sitting there, she almost wished she’d decided to go home. This morning’s touch had her body humming on a low simmer. She couldn’t stop watching him, couldn’t stop noticing all those things she shouldn’t. Kyle had always had a big appetite, always ate like it was the last meal he’d ever get. This morning was no different. He’d piled enough French toast, scrambled eggs, and sausage on his plate to feed at least two people. He sat shoveling in bites and washing them down with swigs of coffee. She never could figure out where he put it all.
    As amusing as she found his eating habits, it was the little gestures that caught her. Every time his lips grazed his fork, she couldn’t help remembering their soft touch nibbling at the back of her neck an hour and a half ago. Even the way his biceps flexed as he lifted a bite to his mouth sent heated tingles running down her spine. The mere thought of his possessive grip on her waist this morning had heat, soft and subtle but undeniable, settling in her core.
    What made it worse was the way he peeked up at her occasionally. Each time, something intense flashed across the depths of his eyes, leaving her trembling with awareness. But tension mounted between them. Something was different. They made small talk, but otherwise, there was an awkwardness there. Kyle was different, unusually tense and quiet. While making breakfast together, something they’d done more times than she had fingers and toes, she’d caught him watching her more than once. Not to mention, he seemed to be making an effort not to touch her. When she’d brushed against him on her way to the sink fifteen minutes ago, they’d both stopped. Kyle hadn’t
exactly
flinched, but he’d definitely noticed the contact. His body had stiffened.
    His reaction brought up all those questions she didn’t want to acknowledge, let alone ponder. Had her feelings for him really changed? Worse was the frightening possibility that his might be as well. She’d seen it last night, too, as she lay on his chest. She wasn’t exactly experienced when it came to men. Jimmy had been up-front. When he wanted something, he said so. But she’d sworn heat had flashed in Kyle’s eyes last night. There’d been a moment, like when they’d made breakfast, where he’d stared a little too long, a tenderness in his eyes when he touched her she couldn’t remember ever seeing.
    There was a distinct tension between them she couldn’t ignore anymore.
    With his elbow braced on the table, Kyle let his fork hover halfway to his mouth. He glanced up from his plate, those eagle eyes pinning her to her spot. “Out with it.”
    Her heart stalled then resumed at a frantic pace. Hands trembling, she picked up her fork and stabbed a bite of her eggs, though she didn’t put it into her mouth. Oh God, he’d caught her staring. How on earth would she get herself out of this one? Grasping the first idea to flit through, she nodded at his plate and flashed a teasing grin, though she was sure it wobbled. “Actually, I was thinking you eat like a pig.”
    “Growing boy.” Bright blue this morning, his eyes twinkled with amusement. He set down his fork and patted his stomach.